Euronews

Two-thirds of MEPs say the European Commission should step up its anti-discrimination efforts to tackle homophobia.

The European Parliament voted for the non-binding resolution by 394 to 196.

“Two thirds of lesbians and gays in all of europe are still afraid, once in a while, to walk hand in hand with their loved ones,” said Austrian Green Ulrike Lunacek, the MEP behind the report. “This is something that shouldn’t be a fact in a Europe that calls itself the area of freedom, security and rights.”

But a number of Conservative parliamentarians were unhappy with the move.

Gay marriage was legalised in France last May. The topic has remained a thorny issue in recent months, as one MEP explains.

“I think there are values that we must defend; family values; the values of education; Judeo-Christian values basically. The rest of it is just ideological mischief making ahead of the European elections. I find that worrying,” said Francoise Grossetete, a lawmaker from France’s centre-right UMP party.

Our correspondent Margherita Sforza said:
“Warnings from the Catholic Church were not absent here: An Italian liberal MEP, who complained she had been pressured by one bishop to vote against a report which he called ‘ambiguous’.